Podcast Summary: Episode 449: Cybersecurity and the New CMO Profile with Brian Goldfarb, CMO of SolarWinds

Published on December 11, 2024, on "Marketing Today with Alan Hart"

In Episode 449 of Marketing Today with Alan Hart, host Alan Hart engages in an insightful conversation with Brian Goldfarb, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of SolarWinds. With over two decades of experience driving growth at leading technology firms such as Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Splunk, and Tenable, Brian brings a wealth of knowledge to the discussion. This episode delves into the intricacies of marketing within the cybersecurity landscape, the transformative events SolarWinds has navigated, and the evolving role of the CMO in today's dynamic business environment.

**1. Brian Goldfarb’s Journey to CMO at SolarWinds

Brian opens up about his unconventional path to becoming a CMO, sharing anecdotes from his early career days working with dial-up internet services and transitioning into web development during the nascent stages of the internet. He humorously recounts his brief stint on a game show as a child, highlighting his early brush with public recognition:

"I went on a game show called Pick Youk Brain and answered incorrectly when asked about the largest Great Lake." (03:43)

This experience, while seemingly minor, taught him valuable lessons in resilience and humility—traits that have been instrumental in his professional trajectory.

**2. Understanding SolarWinds: Legacy and Solutions

Alan Hart prompts Brian to elaborate on SolarWinds' scope and offerings. Brian articulates SolarWinds as a cornerstone in the IT operations and monitoring space, boasting a 25-year legacy and a customer base that includes over 80% of the Fortune 500 companies. He emphasizes the company's commitment to providing comprehensive monitoring and observability solutions, integrating service management and incident response into a unified platform:

"We think of ourselves as providing monitoring and observability solutions for IT professionals, combined with service desk and incident response into one common platform." (08:37)

**3. Navigating the Sunburst Cybersecurity Incident

A significant portion of the conversation centers around the infamous Sunburst cybersecurity breach that impacted SolarWinds. Brian candidly discusses the aftermath, acknowledging the severity of the attack orchestrated by a nation-state actor using sophisticated, unprecedented supply chain techniques:

"It was a highly sophisticated, unforeseeable attack that was effectively unpreventable by anyone using never-before-seen novel techniques in a supply chain attack." (11:17)

Despite the challenges, Brian takes pride in SolarWinds' transparent and customer-focused response, which not only preserved a 98% customer retention rate but also set industry standards for handling such crises. He underscores the importance of moving "beyond the breach," striving to ensure that the company's identity is no longer overshadowed by the incident:

"How do you reimagine who we are as a next-generation company where that isn't part of the story?" (13:25)

**4. The Evolving Role of the CMO

The dialogue shifts to the transformation of the CMO role. Brian reflects on how the responsibilities of a CMO have expanded beyond traditional marketing functions to encompass technology leadership. He critiques the trend of subordinating the marketing function to sales (CRO), arguing that it compromises the customer-centric promise of marketing:

"The promise of marketing is that we represent the customer over its lifetime in the future. When you rotate it under the CRO function, it breaks that promise and trust." (20:13)

Brian advocates for CMOs to maintain autonomy, ensuring they have a significant influence at the executive table and can drive strategies that prioritize long-term customer relationships over immediate sales metrics.

**5. Embracing Marketing Technology

Highlighting SolarWinds' investment in marketing technology, Brian discusses the establishment of a marketing engineering organization within their functional structure. He emphasizes the necessity of leveraging modern marketing technology as a foundational element rather than a competitive advantage:

"Having control over the stack is nice because control is a great thing. But it's not a secret weapon; it's table stakes." (23:01)

This approach has enabled SolarWinds to effectively manage their tech stack, fostering innovation and efficiency within the marketing department.

**6. AI: The Double-Edged Sword for Marketers

A pivotal topic in the conversation is the pervasive impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the marketing landscape. Brian asserts that AI represents both the largest opportunity and the greatest threat to marketers:

"AI is the biggest threat facing marketers today because it can replace many functions. But it's also the biggest opportunity for those who learn to work with it effectively." (39:44)

He warns of the potential for job displacement as AI automates various marketing tasks but also highlights the transformative potential for those who harness AI to enhance creativity and efficiency.

**7. Cultural Shifts and Generational Changes

Brian touches upon the significant generational shifts affecting workplace dynamics and marketing strategies. He points out how events like the pandemic have reshaped the perspectives and values of younger generations entering the workforce, necessitating a more nuanced understanding of diverse motivations and collaboration styles:

"There's a fascinating interplay happening with generational shifts, especially post-pandemic, that marketers need to consider in their strategies." (35:24)

**8. Advice and Personal Reflections

Towards the end of the episode, Brian shares personal insights and advice. Reflecting on his early career missteps, he emphasizes the importance of humility and adaptability when transitioning between vastly different corporate cultures:

"When I switched from Microsoft to Google, I realized that what worked in one environment didn’t translate directly to another. Humility and the willingness to learn are crucial." (29:51)

He also offers candid advice to his younger self, advocating for a better understanding of time management and the illusion of being perpetually "busy":

"I would tell my younger self that you're not as busy as you think and to take the time to understand how to manage resources effectively." (32:34)

**9. Final Thoughts: The Future of Marketing

Concluding the discussion, Brian reiterates the critical role of AI in shaping the future of marketing. He urges marketers to continuously educate themselves on AI advancements to stay relevant and competitive:

"If you're a marketing leader and you're not thinking about AI every day, you're falling behind." (35:14)

He envisions a future where collaboration between humans and AI leads to unprecedented levels of creativity and efficiency, provided that marketers embrace these technologies proactively.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience and Adaptability: Personal experiences, including early failures and career transitions, play a pivotal role in shaping effective leadership.

• Crisis Management: Transparent, customer-centric responses to cybersecurity incidents can preserve trust and loyalty.

• Evolving CMO Role: Modern CMOs must balance traditional marketing functions with technological leadership, maintaining autonomy to advocate for long-term customer relationships.

• AI Integration: Embracing AI is essential for future-proofing marketing strategies, offering both opportunities for innovation and challenges related to job displacement.

• Cultural Awareness: Understanding generational shifts and their impact on workplace dynamics is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies.

Notable Quotes:

• "For all of us, it's about predicting where the consumer is going and getting half of it right." – Brian Goldfarb (01:05)

• "Get beyond the breach." – Brian Goldfarb (13:25)

• "AI is the biggest threat facing marketers today because it can replace many functions. But it's also the biggest opportunity for those who learn to work with it effectively." – Brian Goldfarb (39:44)

This episode offers a comprehensive look into the strategic thinking required to navigate the complexities of marketing in the cybersecurity realm, underscored by personal reflections and forward-looking insights from an experienced industry leader.